Gene Simmons Says There’s Been ‘Some Writing’ for a New Kiss Album

Kiss may yet get around to releasing a new album — but it doesn't sound like fans should expect to hear it anytime soon.

Bassist Gene Simmons was noncommittal on the subject when it came up during a recent interview with Michael Cavacini, admitting that "there's some writing going on" to build up a new stockpile of songs for the next LP, but he's "not incentivized" to release a record because there isn't as much money in putting out new music in today's marketplace.

"The idea that you work your ass off and then someone with freckles on their face decides they want to download your music and file share – that’s not what I work for," argued Simmons. "How’d you like to be a plumber, come over somebody’s house and work all day to fix their plumbing and then when it’s time to get paid they say, 'No, I just wanted to say thank you.' No.

Brushing off the notion that he's made enough money and shouldn't have to worry about sales, Simmons pointed out that as bad as it might be for name acts, the current model is financially untenable for newer artists — even those who manage to score what passes for a hit. "My daughter last year, Sophie, had a huge song that was released on Casablanca: 10 million downloads. Do you know how much she made? $450," he continued. "It almost makes you say, 'You know what, I'll get a day job.'"

Simmons might be feeling unmotivated to put out new Kiss music right now, but he's been just as busy doing another type of writing — he's releasing his new money matters book, On Power, this fall. There's still money in the vaults too: he's also promised a box collecting "150 songs that have never been released."